Improvement in flour-bolts



J. COOKSON.

Flour Bolt.

Patented June 2, 1863 N4 PETERS, PhMmLflhogriphBf, Wrhhinginn. D. C.

NIT'IED STATES -PATENT JOHN C. COOKSON, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND DAVID REYNOLDS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLOU R-BOLTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,783, dated June 2, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. COOKSON, of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved mode of 'combining screens on the same shaft of the bolt so as effectually to protect the bolting-cloth used for bolting flour both internally and externally; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the outer surface of the combined screens, cylinder, 850. The lines beneath the same indicate the relative inner and lower surface of each with the closed ends in part, the bug-screen F, outer cylinder, A, opening on the inside into the bolting-reel and bolt E, the screen or cone B which closes down onto the cylinder A at one end, while the other is firmly secured by a cap or bran-chamber, 0.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, showing the interior half of the bolt, screens, ribs H, rings or hoops It, and radiating arms 1, shown in perspective. F shows the long slots and elevated edges of the metallic bugscreen.

Fig.3 is an end view of the bolt and screen, as also of the bug-screen, with its connectingtubes opening outside of the cylinder A. The arms and knockers or balls I 0, Fig. 2, are hidden by the head K, that closes the bugscreen F.

Fig. 4 shows the slotted cap or bran-chamber O detached, closed on the outside, with a metallic or wire cover, P, surrounding the shaft, (left off on Fig. 2 to show the inner chamber open to the screen B and bolt E,) all arranged on the same shaft and operated by the same gearing.

The object accomplished by this arrangement obviates theobjections advanced against other bug-screens introduced and differs from the one by being placed outside of the bolt, but on the same shaft, as the flour sometimes clogs and is carried up in the bolt, from where it falls onto the bug-screen when placed within it, thereby retarding the bolting operation, without naming other reasons self-apparent, and, though not within the bolt, it is so intimately connected with it as to need no external opening to the bolt, which becomes necessary when the bug-screen is separated from the bolt and the screened meal and bran have to be fed into thebolt by means of a spout; and, as these destructive beetles infesting mills can both run and fly while in the perfect and larva state, they can also perforate wood, it is found that as they can both fly into or upon the bolting-cloth, the object aimed at has heretofore failed from being fully attained. In my combination these evils are remedied, as there is no opening into the bolt but that of the cylinder A, after all the beetles, worms, dough-balls, or coarser matter is thoroughly separated and discharged through the spouts a, and as wire screens have been found objectionable, owing to the liability of soon breaking by the friction and jarring, I have adopted the use of metallic screens cut out of tin-plate, zinc, or the like. Longitudinal slits are cut of any desired length, from onehalf to one inch in length. These have short slits cut on their ends at right angles 0, leaving the intermediate space, a, attached on the one side. By turning this up more or less the raised edge arrests the materials in the screen and facilitates the discharge of the screening into the cylinder A, from which it passes freely into the bolt E, as shown. The bugscreen thus formed with the smooth sides of the slits on the side, so the materials revolve toward them. By the aid of the balls on the radiating arms the screening is rapidly and perfectly performed.

This combination and arrangement is easily applied to ordinary flour-bolts by lengthening the shaft or shortening the bolt on the reel.

The drawings clearly show the several parts referred to, and their relative position, construction, and operation are readily understood upon a close inspection so as to require no detailed account. The union of the cap 0 with the shaft D and the boltprotectin g screen B at one end, and the closed'space between the bolt E and screen B, forming the connec tion with the bug-screen cylinder A, leaves no external opening by which insects can get upon or into the bolt. Again, the closed inner head, K, of the slotted metallic bug-screen F shuts off all communication with the bolt E or outer space between F and A, except the closed spouts a, open only on the inside of F and outside of A, through which beetles, dough-balls, &c., fall into a hopper placed for their reception, and conveyed by a spout to some appropriate place. The screened bran and meal enter the bolt, and the bran is discharged through the cap or bran-chamber c into a place provided for its reception apart i from the bolted flour.

By arranging the whole on the same shaft extra gearing is saved, and altogether it forms a compact and highly-desirable improvement for the more effectually accomplishing the protection of that valuable material used for n'iaking or bolting flour.

I. do not claim a bug-screen surrounding the same shaft of the bolt when placed within the bolt. I do not claim a bug screen outside of the bolt when placed upon a shaft of its own st-parate and apart from the bolt.

I do not claim balls or knockers used in flour-bolts; nor do I claim any novelty, independently considered, apart from the great improvement arising from my several combij nations, such as the peculiar slots in the bug- 1 screen F; the communication of the outer; rylinder,A, with the interior of the bolt, adl mitting the screened materials easily and directly into the bolt without the intervention of a spout or external opening; the cap or bran-chamber O, with the surrounding boltprotecting screen B; the use of knockers within the bugscreen. These features I deem new and of the greatest utility.

VVha-t I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Themetallic bug-screen F, with its oblong slots, as shown, surrounded by a cylinder, A, which opens by its entire circumference directly into the bolt E, closed externally, and connected with the screen B, said bug-screen being closed on its inner end and placed outside of the bolt, but on the same shat't, as shown, for the purpose specified.

2. Surrounding the bolt E with an external screen, B, provided with a cap or slotted branchamber, 0, in combination with the cylinder A, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. The use of balls or knockers when employed within a bug screen.

JOHN C. GOOKSON.

Witnesses OHAs. R. FRAILEY, JACOB STAUFFER. 

